I love using task cards! There are so many ways to use them & in my post I’m going to go over my 12 different ways that you can use task cards in your classroom or even for homeschooling!
You might be wondering what task cards are exactly… Basically, they are cards (usually 4 to a page) that have some kind of task like a math problem, grammar skill or really any other kind of learning to practice. A really good set of task cards has a student recording sheet with corresponding numbers or letters so that kids can write their answers easily. Another aspect of a quality deck of task cards is that the student recording sheet has an answer key.
Notice above that I said practice, task cards are not used until the kids have had previous exposure to the concepts. That makes task cards perfect for things like independent work & centers!
1. SCOOT or Write the Room
Kids go around the room looking for the task cards that are hung up. They find each card and answer it on their recording sheet! This is my favorite way to use task cards!
1. Hang the cards around the room.
2. Give each student a recording sheet.
3. Students will “scoot” around the room & write their answers for each card in the corresponding boxes.
2. DIFFERENTIATION, INTERVENTION & HELPERS
You can differentiate for your students by giving specific decks to work on with you, an interventionist or helper. This is the way I mostly used with task cards.
1. Choose a deck that the student needs more help with to use 1-on-1 or in a small group setting like centers.
2. You can make most task cards self-correcting. For example, if they are clip cards, you can mark on the back where the clip should be. For older students, you can leave the student recording sheet answer key out.
3. QUIZ, QUIZ, TRADE
Kids each have a card. They partner with someone else and answer that partner’s
card. They trade cards and repeat the process.
1. Give each student a card.
2. Set a timer while kids quiz each other.
3. Trade cards and find new partners.
4. CENTERS OR SMALL GROUPS
Kids will work independently, with a partner or group on the task cards. This is a great way to differentiate your centers.
1. Label decks for each group (if differentiating)
2. Leave recording sheets that match the decks for each student if you want them to answer on paper.
5. WHOLE CLASS
Place the card under the doc cam. Each student can answer on a mini whiteboard or a turn and talk. This can be a warm-up, review or to start a lesson.
(You can use my digital task cards like BOOM Cards on your projector or smart board for some more interaction & engagement! I have lots of these decks in my shop)
1. Project the task card(s)
2. Designate a way for students to answer like using a mini whiteboard.
6. BOARD GAMES
Kids use any board game (like Candy Land that you can pick up from a thrift store). They roll a dice. Before they can move that number of spaces, they have to answer the task card correctly. This can be at a center or for fast finishers!
7. DIGITAL BOOM™ CARDS
There are some great features of BOOM Cards!
My cards are fun, interactive, self-correcting and have audio! You can assign decks to the whole class or differentiate them for specific students. The cards are graded automatically and send you the data.
Because mine have audio, kids can do them independently at literacy centers & math centers
(I have decks for both math & literacy! You can get most of my BOOM decks in a set that has both the digital & printable version with a student recording sheet and answer key as well!)
8. SCAVENGER HUNT
Kids go around the room looking for the task cards that are hidden around the room. They find each card and answer it on their recording sheet! This is kind of like SCOOT, but be sneakier & don’t forget where you hide them!
1. Hide the cards around the room.
2. Give each student a recording sheet.
3. Students will & write their answers find each card & answer in the corresponding boxes.
9. EXIT TICKETS
Kids will solve their task card at the end of the lesson for you to see how well they understood the concept. (Each child could answer the same card or their own).
1. Pass out exit tickets (or a sticky note if everyone is using a task card that is being projected) to write their answer on. I prefer using sticky notes so that I can easily sort the exit tickets into “understands the concept”, “almost there”, “needs more help with the concept”
10. HEADBANDS
Play like the Headbanz™ game where kids hold their card on their forehead without looking at it. A partner will read the task card and they have to answer it.
1. Give each student a card that they will hold to their forehead without looking at it.
2. They will find a partner to take turns reading and answering their cards.
3. They put the used cards back and get new cards to play with.
11. DO WE AGREE?
this is a partner strategy to get kids teaching each other.
1. Kids sit directly in front of a partner with a mini whiteboard.
2. You project a task card.
3. They write their own answer and hide it.
4. On your command, they show their partner their answer. If they agree, then they will both put their thumb up. If they disagree, they have to teach their partner how they came up with their answer until they both agree on the same answer.
12. LEAVE A DECK WITH A SUBSTITUTE
For those difficult technology or extra time moments! Just make sure that you have already taught the concept that you leave with your sub!
TASK CARD TIPS & TRICKS
LONG-LASTING
I recommend printing task cards on card stock and then laminating them. Also, I am soooo thankful for HP Instant Ink! I have always been the teacher that wants to print in color, but it used to be so dang expensive. HP Instant Ink is here to save the day! It is so affordable and I will never look back! Let me know if you want my code!
STORAGE
I love to store my task cards in 2 ways:
1. If I am using them sometime that week, I keep them in the cute, colorful photo boxes that you can get for pretty cheap at Michaels or Walmart (see my blog image)
2. If I am not using them soon, I store mine in sandwich size baggies. Those baggies go in my grammar, math or literacy file folders or boxes.
SELF-CORRECTING
I know that I mentioned it above, but I like to draw a symbol on the back of my clip cards or sometimes just write the answers on the back. Again, I laminate my cards, so I use the dry-erase trick. What’s the trick?!? Well, you can use permanent marker on laminated material. Then, if you want it gone, just write over the top with a dry-erase marker and erase! POOF! GONE!
Well, those are 12 different ways to use task cards!
Which way is your favorite? Do you use task cards in different ways! Please share! Want some FREE Task Cards? Check out my links below & click free off to the side!
